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Manx Customs and Traditions - Laa Luanys: A Manx tradition for the start of August

Published on 20 Jul 2017

Laa Luanys offers a Manx tradition stretching back to Celtic times on the Isle of Man.

At the start of August Manx people would climb the hills of the Isle of Man in an act of homage and tradition which lasted for centuries and bridged great breaks in belief and religion.

Starting as a Celtic act of faith for the god, Lug, the practice of ascending places such as Snaefell and South Barrule was transferred into the Christian tradition in the 18th Century.

The practice of holding an act of devotion on the hill-tops continued into modern times, most famously through a service held in Manx Gaelic and led by the great Tom Taggart on his 'fiddle'.

Something of this practice is recreated here by Matt Creer and Josephine Evans, who climb South Barrule to perform Tom Taggart's favourite hymn, 'Crofton', which is attribution to Dr. John Clague, one of the key figures of Manx traditional music.